Advancements in the recording industry include reproducing sound from a multiple channel sound system, such as reproducing sound from a surround sound system. These advancements have enabled listeners to enjoy enhanced listening experiences, especially through surround sound systems such as 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound systems. Even two-channel stereo systems have provided enhanced listening experiences through the years.
Typically, surround sound or two-channel stereo recordings are recorded and then processed to be reproduced over loudspeakers, which limits the quality of such recordings when reproduced over headphones. For example, stereo recordings are usually meant to be reproduced over loudspeakers, instead of being played back over headphones. This results in the stereo panorama appearing on line in between the ears or inside a listener's head, which can be an unnatural and fatiguing listening experience.
To resolve the issues of reproducing sound over headphones, designers have derived stereo and surround sound enhancement systems for headphones; however, for the most part these enhancement systems have introduced unwanted artifacts such as unwanted coloration, resonance, reverberation, and/or distortion of timbre or sound source angle and/or position.